Morning:
13°c
Five protesters in pinstriped suits and bowler hats chained themselves to a private jet at London City Airport this morning.
The activists, members of the anti-aviation expansion network Plane Stupid, used bolt cutters to saw through the perimeter fence by the runway at 2.30am.
They were found by security guards chained together in a circle around one of the planes.
One was Tamsin Omond, the 24-year-old grand-daughter of Sir Thomas Lees, a fourth generation Dorset baronet.
The Cambridge graduate has been involved in some of the campaign's high profile attacks including scaling the Palace of Westminster in protest over a third runway at Heathrow
Spokeswoman Nancy Birch said the "human wheel clamp" was designed to highlight the "selfishness" of private jet use.
"Our intention was to stage a corporate takeover of the private jet centre with all our protesters in business suits," she said.
"Small jets emit between five and 10 times more carbon per passenger than commercial flights. It's time they were grounded for good."
She said the group had found a CCTV blind spot in the perimeter fence, about 100 yards from the security hut.
"This is a central, busy airport and a major terrorist target but getting into it was child's play," she said.
At police arrived to cut the steel tubes, known as arm locks, off the protesters but Miss Birch said the group had fortified the chains to make it harder.
A spokeswoman for City Airport said there could be a "slight delay" to the schedule for the private jets.
But she added: "This has not disrupted the main airport. The safety of our passengers and staff remain a priority but we do not expect any flights to be significantly affected.
"This is now a police matter and we expect there to be arrests for criminal damage and breaking and entering."
Plane Stupid said it had a legal expert on hand to deal with any arrests.
Reader views (49)
Funny thing is the aircraft that they chained themselves to was unserviceable at the time and so going nowhere, they could have left them there all day and they would not have disrupted anything. The protesters would have just ended up cold, wet and hungry with sore eardrums.
David
- David, London
It is actually very simple to stop this kind of protest once and for all. Just change the locks on the chains and leave the time wasters there. I am sure the plane owner won't mind and then after, what, three or four hours sitting on cold wet concrete with the noise of jets taking off and landing around them they will begging to be let free and I wager they won't ever come back......
- Jeff, Ex Londoner now in Australia
1. I am surprised to find such nasty comments against environmentalist?.
2. I can't open windows during the summer to enjoy a nice breeze. Residents live in utter misery because noise from London City Airport as it is in a residential area. The area was never like this, as they were only allowed small 30 seater planes, but now they land more noisier 100 seater jet planes.
4. When the airport applied to expand. None of Councillors stuck up for residents. My local councillors received flights or goodies from aviation industry.
5. Our local MP was working hard for the airport.
6. Even Mayor Boris Johnson who says Heathrow is the wrong place was backing expansion at London City Airport.
7. The airport gave free parking space to a Labour MEP.
8. Hazel Blears did not want to call a public enquiry.
9. Even though the airport was exceeding EU air quality levels by 50%, failed to meet employment targets and noise monitoring was non-existant for 8 years (which effects if you get noise insulation!).
10. Is this democracy at work?. Or do you think residents are at the mercy this big corporate?
11. The airport has ruined the area, I just want to sell-up and get out of the area. I just wish the airport was forced to buy up homes, as I can't sell due to crap housing market.
12. If Tesco wants to expand they buy land, so why does n't the airport buy up people's houses instead of encroaching into the privacy of people's homes?
- Rk, London
Eddie,
99% of scientists corroborate that climate change is substantial, caused by human activity and requires immediate action to avert human suffering on a scale never before experienced. The position you are holding is no longer tenable. If not for your own sake, then for the sake of the rest of us, please don't make the toughest collective action problem the world has ever faced even harder.
- Golden Martlet, Oxford, UK
Nice to see the Global Warming idiots are back again. lock them up.
Fancy believing that fairy story when every year since 1998 has been cooler than the one before. Doesn't fit the model because the model is wrong.
- Eddie Bowler, Bromley, UK
There's always going to be something, somewhere, that someone doesn't agree with. They will inevitably rationalize a need to impose their views on anyone and everyone that they can effect by stunt 'actions'. They should be dealt with according to the level of mischief they get up to, but certainly by the courts as a demonstration that what they do is criminal activity, no matter what slant they put on it in self-justification.
- Rogan, Irving
As a user of London City Airport, I am growing increasingly concerned about the airport. I was shocked to recently hear that the airport has breached it's planning conditions on noise and air readings for a period of years to the detriment of the area. I then read that the GMB has raised an issue of toxic air in the airport and that HSE are investigating.
Now it seems that the security is also lacking. The plane protestors have simply identified another weakness and decline in what was a well respected airport in a niche market.
I might use the airport, but I have some consideration of the communities around it and it appears it is about time the airport bucked up it's ideas and met its responsibilities in full. Quite frankly I'm surprised that this airport appears so blase to security and it's legal obligations of operation.
- London City Airport User, London
The trouble is they come from well off backgrounds, so no chance of them being treated like the terrorists they are. they will get just a slap on the wrist, not the 10-15 years they deserve. they should at least be given ASBO`s and instantly jailed if found within 10 miles of an airport
- Doug Burden, Chatham England
Terrorism is a potential threat, climate change is a definite threat.
Unless more people start acting like this and standing up against the rich, privileged and greedy who are destroying EVERYBODIES planet then we're all doomed.
- Martin Smith, Norwich, UK
Once again a silly little group of middle class girls wanting adventure cause a problem. Why don't they fly off to a gap year in the Far East like their friends?
- Carl, London
Democracy and free speech are all very well, but all these direct action soap-dodgers are getting rather boring and un-Britsh. At least the rain will have given them the hosing down that they deserve.
- Martin H. Watson, Teddington
I would like to see people fighting against this group of thugs like the likes of there sort are fighting against two democraticly elected M.E.P.s.These left wing thugs are unelected yet are allowed to do and say what they like.
I think we should organise groups to go out and persecute them and throw eggs at them and threaten them with the same force that they are allowed to get away with towards other people.
The police should be allowed to use water cannons on this scum for endangering an Aircraft,you dont know if they might have done something to the Aircraft and this could have very serious consequences.These people must be delt with the strongest possible punishments to deter nutters like them.
Alan Jones.
Liverpool,U.K.
- Alan Jones, Liverpool.England.
I imagine Al Qaeda will now start pretending to be either Plane Stupid or Fathers4Justice protesters during any attacks on airports or government buildings. In some countries, you'd risk being shot for trying to break into a runway or sit on top of a ministers' house.
- Alex Wright, Birmingham, England
Im disgusted with a lot of you who have no care or consideration about what we are doing to the planet. Ian, London - "These freaks have absolutely no support for the pathetic little stunts and speak for no one. " They speak for me - I see no point in needlessly polluting the air by flying private jets when first class is half full on scheduled flights. And before you all start, Im in a good, full time job and I am not a tree hugging hippie, Im a person who cares a great deal about the planet we live on.
- Natty, London
This protest, along with so much direct action by the ecomentalists, has nothing really to do with our environment and everything to do with their hard left anti capitalist, class war, political agenda.
The biggest Greenwash of all has been the cloaking of class various left wing extremists in the plausibly respectable Green agenda.
- Matt, London, UK
Sounds to me like Tamsin Omond should use whatever skills she learnt at Cambridge and get herself a job, but then again I suppose as her family is wealthy so she can afford do stupid like disrupt other peoples lives.
- Gavin, London
These people should be arrested and thrown in jail.
When people finally realise that the so called "man made" global warming is complete and utter rubbish and there's nothing we can do to control the temperature of the planet we can all get on with our lives.
The nature of the environment is so complex that no models can even begin to understand all the varying factors. The famed "Hockey Stick" graph has been ruthlessly exposed as a lie, the IPCC has nothing whatsoever to do with science but it purely political, and I remember how we were all going to die from Bird Flu, the Millennium Bug was going to destroy civilisation, salmonella and Mad Cow disease were going to kill millions etc.
Look at the evidence yourself. The planet has always changed temperature - way before Man and industry - and it's arrogant in the extreme to think we can control this. We can't. Besides, the planet heating up has benefits. What we really need to be worried about is the recent cooling - if another ice age was to happen then we'd really be in trouble.
- Tom, London
I'm all for keeping the carbon footprint to a minimum, and yes we all agree the rich don't care but what worries me here is, where was the security?
If Plane Stupid can get through, so can others.
Not a good advert for City Airport.
- Malc, London,England
Simply stop reporting these sad gap-year layabouts and their infantile stunts. Stop giving them the attention they crave.
- Kevin T, Beckenham, Kent
Shoot them
- P Staker, London, SW8
Carbon ooh sounds scary no? If you added up all the so called 'bad' emissions this country did for five years it would not equal a month of China's emissions. In the big picture our island is insignificant.
This is even if you accept the MMGW theory (stress on THEORY) which has the rather inconvenient truth of being completely scientifically unprovable- unless you fake figures and fix the models. EG the media continually reporting the melting Wilkins Ice shelf with the same photo year in year out.
(http://wattsupwiththat.com/2009/04/17/the-antarctic-wilkins-ice-shelf-collapse-media-recycles-photos-and-storylines-from-previous-years/)
If your problem is so scientifically accurate then why the need to fake the 'evidence'?
BTW -I cannot take a Tamsin spokesperson seriously.
I like the 100,000 volt fence idea. May I also suggest a moat filled with Piranha's and nearby lots of Machine gun towers.
IMO the world has bigger problems than some wasters worrying about fantasy disaster scenario's. Turn the fire hoses on the unwashed hippie scum!
- Ethan, UK
Jen
As a fellow resident of Newham I feel the need to point out the flaw in your argument. I dont think the bankers are flying the planes. The City Airport provides much needed jobs for local people as well as providing a service linking all business an industry with Europe.
On the matter of pollution I think you'll find the largest polluter is actually the shipping industry not the airlines.
Therefore in this context this sham can be seen for what it is as a self publicising exercise by people full of their own self worth.
- Ian, London
Quote: Colin, Bristol. Electrfy the perimeter fence,I suggest 100,000 volts.
More global pollution Colin: producing that amount of power, and even bigger profits for the foreign power companies at the same time.
It would not help though; all you need do is short circuit the fence to put the whole airport into darkness, if the fence wasn’t independently powered etc.
Discretion is the better part of valour in my opinion; leave the protesters alone; they will go when they are hungry or want to use the toilet, or have to get a joint.
The only time you can find a copper is when demonstrators are around; this makes all airports safer when demonstrators appear; the whole place is then full of coppers and security etc.
- Mickyinlondon, london
Paula, it is indeed "a bit different trying to jack a plane and chaining yourself round a wheel completely peacefully", but how different is it from tying a bomb to a wheel housing, or throwing a large chuck of metal into the rotors?
- Bob, Cheam
Private Jets from London City Airport not counted as ATMs (Air Transport Movements) so theres no limit to the number that take off and land.
- Darren, Newham
10 times more carbon per passenger on a private jet, hey? My goodness rich people just don't care, do they?
Well done Plane Stupid for getting your point across.
I do wonder if the psychology of denial means the only argument available to detractors is to describe climate change activists as "scroungers." A bit lame and probably not true, but easier I suppose than getting one's head round the scale of the disaster humanity has brought upon itself with our total addiction to a carbon-fuelled "life style."
- Cristabel, UK
Almost everyone I know who has taken the time to educate themselves about the issues involved here, comes to the conclusion that we need to massively reduce (a) our energy consumption, and (b) our greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing the number of flights that happen does both of these. So huge support from me for the Plane Stupid people in everything they do to highlight this.
The way we squander the natural resources we have available to us in all kinds of ways - including ridiculously cheap flights - will be seen by history (in the very near future) as they same kind of outright stupidity and greed as we now see the people who made millions by slicing and dicing sub prime mortgages and all the other things that led to the catastrophic collapse in our current economic system.
- Andy, London, UK
Start the plane and take off.
- Edward, london
Well done David for noticing that 'Plane Stupid' is a pun!
Colin, I'm sure airport security will take your well considered plan on board.
Haskey, I'm sure these guys are gagging to be put in jail, it'd make it so much of a bigger story.
Bob, terrorists might well use the same tactics to get on to a runway but it's a bit different trying to jack a plane and chaining yourself round a wheel completely peacefully.
Joanna, it would be pretty ironic if getting a normal charter flight would get you sat next to any member of Plane Stupid! I think it's a mode of transport where you're pretty safe from them...
Jess, haven't seen the film but been meaning to check it out.
- Paula, London, UK
Order the plane to take off. 5 less spongers on the planet. The "carbon offset" will be achieved by not having to support these scroungers any longer.
- Les, Epsom UK
The protestors will be feted in the future as those who helped turn the tide of awareness on global pollution.
It always takes young people to do actions like this.
The critics in this blog are probably all over 60.
- Nick, London
Plane Stupid continue with there 'pure genius' actions.
I think that thier critics should educate themesleves about climate change--i doubt they would be so critical if they had a clue what we where up against.
- Calvin, Isleworth, London
Well done to these activists. These planes are nothing but personal polluters at a time when we should be reducing our carbon footprints.
- Iggy, London
Well done David for noticing that 'Plane Stupid' is a pun!
Colin, I'm sure airport security will take your well considered plan on board.
Haskey, I'm sure these guys are gagging to be put in jail, it'd make it so much of a bigger story.
Bob, terrorists might well use the same tactics to get on to a runway but it's a bit different trying to jack a plane and chaining yourself round a wheel completely peacefully.
Joanna, it would be pretty ironic if getting a normal charter flight would get you sat next to any member of Plane Stupid! I think it's a mode of transport where you're pretty safe from them...
Jess, haven't seen the film but been meaning to check it out.
- Paula, London, UK
Well,good to see that the little dears find some way to while away the time.
- Mikes, London
David Chown, bath....Don't be silly, all these hippy unwashed types live off mummy and daddys money and had never done a days hard work but love complaining about everyone else!
I wonder where these idiots are going to be flying off to for the summer hols???? Sling them in jail!
- Jh, London
More trustafarians doing what they do best. Isn't it about time these layabouts grew up and done something constructive with their lives
- Michael Cooper, London
City airport is in Newham, which is both the poorest borough in the country and has the highest rates of under 30s asthma. These rich bankers are literally killing the people of the area (of which I am one) so that they can jet around killing the planet).
There is a direct link between every flooded house (Hull anyone?) and their carbon emissions.
It's about time someone did something about it.
Go Plane Stupid!!
- Jen, London
It is only a matter of time before air passengers die because of the actions of these selectively indignant idiots. Airport security should be instructed to shoot first and ask questions later.
- John North, London, UK
These freaks have absolutely no support for the pathetic little stunts and speak for no one. Clearly they have too much time on their hands to dream up ways to inconvenience people trying to go about their daily lives.
More to be laughed at really.
- Ian, London
Plane Stupid is so apt in this case - they chained themselves to the only private jet that had broken down and was waiting for a mechanic to fix it at the time.
- Roger Mellie, London England
Thank god for protestors, trying to wake us up and preventing the age of stupid from continuing. Seen the movie?
- Jess Gold, London
these people are idiots. So what if we use private jets. we do it to avoid having to travel with people just like Tamsin...
- Joanna, london
Plain stupid might be more appropriate. As a matter of interest, are any of them in gainful employment?
- David Chown, bath
What worries me most is that if a bunch of inept upper class student toffs can cut their way through a fence to access an airport runway then what's to stop a terrorist organisation doing the same thing?
- Bob, Cheam
Good to see security is tight at the airport !!!
- Nick Holland, glasgow
Hmmm... a bunch of bowler hatted hippies break into an airport with ease? Makes me feel confident in security measures at airports.
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
Breaking and entering. Criminal Damage. Breach of the Peace. Criminal Trespass.
5 years in jail. Criminal Record.
Simple.
- Haskey, London SE1
Electrfy the perimeter fence,I suggest 100,000 volts.
- Colin, Bristol
